


Music Meme: Set Seven

by i_claudia



Series: Music Meme [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-09
Updated: 2010-03-09
Packaged: 2017-11-18 11:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_claudia/pseuds/i_claudia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five Merlin drabbles and a bonus drabble featuring Sirius.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Music Meme: Set Seven

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at LJ [here](http://i-claudia.livejournal.com/49821.html). (09 March 2010)
> 
> The instructions:
> 
> 1\. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.  
> 2\. Put iTunes or equivalent media player on random.  
> 3\. For each song that plays, write something related to the theme you picked inspired by the song. You have only the time frame of the song: no planning beforehand: you start when it starts, and no lingering afterward; once the song is over, you stop writing. (No fair skipping songs either; you have to take what comes by chance!)  
> 4\. Do 5 of these, then post.

**1\. On The Coldest Winter Night (Kamelot)**

_I am breathless, need I say_  
I feel like I am dreaming   
Hold me close; tomorrow may be gone [...]  
You found me here today  
On the coldest winter night 

It’s the coldest winter Camelot has seen in years; Merlin runs from stables to kitchens to Arthur’s room in record time doing his evening chores, and stops by the banked fire in Arthur’s room to warm his icy hands. Arthur isn’t there, which is odd, and Merlin wanders on, telling himself he isn’t looking for Arthur and taking a fur-lined mantle with him anyway.

He finds Arthur on one of the low towers, his brow furrowed deep with worry and exhaustion, lined with all the collected worries of a new king, and drapes the mantle silently over Arthur’s bowed shoulders.

**2\. I Feel Good (Fourshadow)**

_I feel good, I knew that I would_  
I feel good, you know I knew that I would  
I feel so good, yeah, so good  
’Cause I got you, yeah 

Arthur is having an excellent day. He’s still the undisputed champion of Camelot, smarter and quicker than any other man in Albion, but his knights are stronger than ever; the sun is shining; and the summer has not yet turned sticky with too much heat.

He gets a warm, tingling feeling whenever Merlin looks at him, smiling with just a hint of pride in his eyes, but he dismisses it as residual contentment from the day.

**3\. God, That’s Good! (Sweeney Todd Soundtrack)**

_Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please_  
Are your nostrils aquiver and tingling as well at that delicate luscious ambrosial smell? [...]  
Well ladies and gentlemen, that aroma enriching the breeze  
Is like nothing compared to its succulent sauce as the gourmets among you will tell you of course 

Merlin’s first impression of Camelot is noise. There are hawkers everywhere, yelling and bickering and waving their wares in his face until they take in his worn clothes and turn away to find more promising buyers. He takes a deep breath: there’s smoke from the cooking fires and food and animals and spices and people above all -- the scent of hundreds of people all living and breathing and working together. Too many people to care about one peasant boy, he thinks, and grins.

**4\. Leaving Friday Harbor (The Flying Garbanzos)**

_instrumental_

The last dance of the evening is slow, a waltz; Arthur leans against a gilded column and refuses to meet the eyes of any of the young ladies glancing over at him hopefully. He taps his fingers idly on the stem of the wine glass he holds, wondering how long is polite to stay around after a ball before he slips out a side door. All he wants to do is go home as quickly as possible, pour himself a brandy and slip out of his uncomfortable frock coat and the new shoes that pinch his feet, and prop his head in Merlin’s lap until he falls asleep.

He wanders out onto the wide balcony and down into the garden, humming softly along with the violin as it sings, and catches sight of a familiar dark figure, half-hidden by the hedges.

“Might have known I’d find you out here,” he remarks, amused, as Merlin turns around to look at him.

Merlin smiles back at him, dangerously sweet in the summer moonlight, and offers his hand. “Did you come to ask for a dance? There’s space on my card for one more,” he says with a sly look from under his lashes, and Arthur laughs and takes his hand, pulling him close under the soft cover of the night.

They move slowly together along the garden path, their cheeks close enough that Arthur can feel the warmth from Merlin’s cheek, and he closes his eyes, giving himself over to the music entirely.

**5\. Lies and Ancient Words (Pete and J)**

_Well I don’t know who I’m praying to  
But I’ll say a little prayer for you_

Merlin hates arming Arthur for battle. Tournaments are a different matter; there he can pretend it really is all just for play, for show; war is a different matter entirely. He and Arthur are quiet the entire time, the only sound disturbing the air around them soft clinks as Merlin shifts and settles Arthur’s armour firmly into place. 

He wishes he could pray, the way he knows Arthur does when he thinks no one’s paying attention, but it never felt right. He can never find the right words, can’t properly express the terror that wells up inside him when he watches Arthur ride off at the head of the column, leaving Merlin behind with the rest of the servants to guard the camp and prepare the bandages and knives for their return.

He tries anyway, whispering quiet words for strength, for courage, for luck into the notches of Arthur’s armour, wrapping Arthur in iron and in the warm mantle of his fiercest wishes. _Come back_ , he thinks, adjusting the straps on Arthur’s hauberk carefully, concentrating harder than he ever thought possible. _Come back_. 

 

 

**The Rover / Achilles’ Last Stand / The Song Remains the Same (Dream Theater)**

_It was an April morning_  
When they told us we should go  
And as I turned to you  
You smiled at me  
How could they say no? 

Sirius won’t admit this to anyone, but before a battle his stomach ties itself into a thousand tightly wrapped knots, squeezing in on itself until he thinks he might vomit from the pressure of it all. Once he’s actually fighting, he’s fine -- he’s cool, collected, one of the most capable fighters the Order has -- it's only before the fight begins, when he has time to think, that he starts to think he can’t stand it any longer, that this will be the day he breaks and runs.

James and Lily have been in hiding almost a year, and it’s still hard to fight without James at his side; still hard to remember that he doesn’t have anyone guarding his back and whispering completely inappropriate things in his ear at the least opportune moments. It’s difficult, without James; sometimes he feels like he’s lost his better half, alone and vulnerable in his loneliness.

What’s worse is that Remus has pulled back at the same time; that when they lay next to each other on the few nights they can manage to be in their flat at the same time, there’s a gulf between them Sirius is afraid to cross. He’s afraid, as little as he wants to admit it, feels the same clenching in his gut. He’s afraid of what might lie behind Remus’s smile now, afraid to consider what new deceptions Remus might be capable of spinning around them, and so he closes his eyes and turns his back to Remus, unable to even feel the warmth from Remus’s body anymore.


End file.
